Baton relay in British Isles

On Wednesday 23 July, at the Opening Ceremony of Glasgow 2014 in Celtic Park, the Queen will read out the message she placed inside the baton before its marathon 190,000km trip around the world.

The baton is currently in St Lucia in the Caribbean. It will reach Canada by the end of April before heading to European destinations such as Cyprus and Malta and Gibraltar.

It will arrive in Scotland after spending a month travelling around the other nations and territories of the British Isles - Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Wales and England.

The baton will spend 40 days in Scotland, taking in such sights as the Forth Bridge, Loch Ness and The Kelpies, Falkirk's 30 metre-high dazzling horse head sculptures.

The Scottish route will also take in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles.

The baton is travelling to 70 nations and territories before arriving in Scotland, including Australia's Gold Coast - the next Commonwealth Games host

David Grevemberg, chief executive of Glasgow 2014, said: "The Queen's Baton Relay is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for people across Scotland to celebrate what's extraordinary and unique about their communities, and honour those locals who make a difference to others.

"The baton is visiting hundreds of villages, towns and cities, with thousands taking part in the relay, and many more attending the vast programme of sports and cultural events along the route.

"With less than three months to go until the baton comes home to Scotland, the momentum is building up for the biggest festival of sport and culture this nation has ever hosted".